


If Tomorrow Never Comes

by Writcraft



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 21:19:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writcraft/pseuds/Writcraft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Voldemort wins the Battle of Hogwarts and Harry is whisked away to safety by Severus Snape, blowing Snape's cover as a Death Eater in the process. Unable to risk using magic and with only one another and a pirate radio station to keep them company, the two men begin to see each other in a different light as they battle for survival against all of the odds. Written for the snape_potter community's Snarry-a-Thon (2012) on Livejournal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If Tomorrow Never Comes

The flames from the Fiendfyre licked at the base of the castle, and Harry stood and watched from a distance as flashes of red and green clashed together, forking into the sky. The sounds of the battle screamed around him but he was too far away from the battlefield to see anyone. He could dimly see faces becoming still and lifeless as bodies crumpled onto the dirt, but he wasn’t close enough to make out the features or to know whose bodies lay amongst the dead. 

_Harry Potter_

Harry heard the name on the breeze as it whispered around him. The words were accompanied by laughter and screams, which sliced through his scar until he fell to his knees and clutched his head, hissing in pain. He was dimly aware of the sounds around him, as his own desperate cries mingled with those of his friends. 

Harry dropped his head into his hands and felt the grit and dirt from his palms mix with the sweat on his cheeks and forehead as the burning became unbearable. Then there was a moment of silence and everything around him stopped, before he heard the high pitched laugh again. It took him a moment to realise the laugh spouted from his own lips and he cringed back at the sound, curling into a ball. Harry clapped his hand over his mouth and forced his shields up as he tried desperately to come back to himself. He was still in that position, bowed down on the damp ground, when a rough hand grabbed him and yanked him to his feet.

Death Eater.

With a snarl, his captor wrapped Harry into his robes and pulled them into the air in a whirl of black. It felt like flying and Harry wondered if he hadn’t been hit by a curse and maybe this is what death felt like. He found himself thrown to the floor and the man tore the mask from his face. Before he could register who had grabbed him and where he was, his mouth was being forced open and a potion tipped down his throat which he had to swallow, wincing at the taste as his eyes fell closed. His final memory before he fell into a dreamless sleep was of Hogwarts, covered in flames and burning to the ground.

OooooOOooooO

Harry felt a cool hand on his forehead and licked his dry lips. He turned his head to the side to lean into a warm hand which brushed over his forehead and moved his hair to one side. He felt liquid pressed against his scar, icy at first and then heating rapidly and he gritted his teeth against the pain as something soft and cool dabbed his cheeks.

He tried to remember where he was but all he could remember was fire, everything burning, the screams of the living and the silence of the dead. After a long moment he remembered turning, seeing the masked face and stilled. His whole body tensed under the touch as he felt bile rise in his throat.

“Hush, you’re safe. It’s me, Severus – you’re safe.”

Harry heard the familiar voice and flinched again away from the hand which touched him, hearing a soft sigh and then the cool pressure left his face. He blinked his eyes open slowly and looked at Snape, sitting next to Harry with a flannel in his hand, looking exhausted and staring away from Harry with a pained grimace on his face. Harry noticed he had three deep marks down his cheek, congealed with blood and dirt. 

“Snape?” His voice sounded unfamiliar to him, deep and a little croaky and he cleared his throat.

“Well observed, Potter.”

Harry shuffled in his position and heard leaves scrunching beneath him. He realised as the cold air hit him and his eyes adjusted a little to the light that they were outside, in a small clearing, surrounded by trees. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the smells and the sound of battle and found the peacefulness which now surrounded them almost eerie. When he opened his eyes again he was relieved to see his battered rucksack just a short distance away from them and then looked back up at Snape.

“You’re alive.”

“Again, your powers of observation are startling.” 

Harry scowled at the dry tone to Snape’s voice, thinking it wasn’t entirely strange to think he might have been killed by the giant snake last seen sinking its fangs into his neck.

“I saw the snake attack you.”

“Indeed. Well thank you, Potter – for coming to my rescue. I am delighted I have spent the past few years risking life and limb to keep you alive for the Chudley Cannons reserves bench.”

Harry sat up a little, feeling quite a bit better now and glared at Snape, “I’m not sure what I could have done. Besides, I had no idea you were on our side. In fact, I still don’t know if I am entirely convinced.”

“Twit,” Snape glared at Harry and then handed him a crumpled letter from his robes, “From Albus. You should be able to decipher the writing with a little effort, assuming you _can_ actually read, of course.”

Harry glared at the insult and then opened the parchment carefully, reading the letter from Dumbledore, recognising the familiar spidery hand at once. He read the instructions and then looked up at Snape.

“He asked you to kill him?”

“Yes. His parting gift, if you will - to make a murderer of me.” Snape looked at his hands with a frown. “I must remember to thank him for that.”

“Oh.” Harry wasn’t too sure what else to say and looked at the words on the parchment, not really reading them, before looking back up at Snape. “All of this time…?”

“Yes.”

Harry nodded and looked at the flannel clenched in Snape’s hand, his knuckles white and grazed with grit and blood.

“You’re injured.”

“Surface wounds, Potter. Nothing serious, I can assure you. I have survived worse.” 

Nevertheless, Harry noticed as Snape flinched slightly when he raised his hand to his bloodied cheek. Harry sat up properly and took the flannel from Snape’s hand, gently wiping the cuts on his face to ensure they were clean and then doing the same to the graze on his knuckles, marvelling at the size of Snape’s large hand on his own.

He realised how near he was to Snape after a moment and pulled back with a cough, giving the flannel back to Snape who quickly pocketed it and moved back onto his heels, scowling at an invisible spot on his trousers.

“Where the hell are we anyway?” Harry felt around in his pocket and withdrew his wand, relieved to see it had survived intact. 

“Somewhere safe, you ungrateful brat, or have you forgotten about the Dark Lord hot on your heels and looking for your head on a stick?” Snape glared down his not insubstantial nose at Harry and grabbed his wand from Harry’s outstretched hand, pocketing it.

“Hey! Give that back.”

“No. We cannot perform magic, they will be able to trace it should we attempt to do so.” Snape looked around with a scowl on his face, “I’m afraid we really are quite alone. You are lucky that I have enough brains for the both of us, Merlin only knows what sort of hair brained survival techniques you would come up with if left to your own devices.”

“I’ve survived so far,” Harry glared at Snape and felt the strangest urge to bite him on the nose.

Snape snorted and continued to look around the clearing they had found themselves in, “Just barely and with a significant amount of help from myself.”

Harry snorted softly and rolled his eyes at that. “Yes, it was very helpful of you to barge in on Sirius and Remus when they were about to kill Wormtail. That was just brilliant.”

“Do shut up, Potter. You’re giving me a migraine.”

“Well I certainly know how that feels…” Harry rubbed his forehead, feeling his own frown beneath his hand as he did so, before he pulled back to see his fingers stained with blood from his scar. “Merlin…no wonder it’s so sore.”

“Potter!” Snape hauled Harry close to him by the scruff of his neck and growled at him as Harry let out a startled yelp. “Occlumency you bloody imbecile. Put up your shields immediately, unless you wish for us both to be killed faster than you can say Morsmordre”

“Get _off_ me, Snape. Bloody hell – my shields _are_ up, I’m not a total idiot. Doesn’t mean I can’t still feel him sometimes though. He’s happy. It’s always worse when he’s happy. Usually means something pretty fucking horrible is happening.”

“Indeed.” 

Harry watched Snape who looked worried for a moment and then shook his head, scowling at Harry when he noticed he was being watched.

“So what’s the plan, then?”

“Survive, Potter. That’s about as far as I have got at the moment.”

“Hang on - I thought you were supposed to be the brains of this operation - the Batman to my Robin?”

Snape sneered at Harry and billowed his robes a little, “This is hardly the time to be insulting. I have just saved your life, you insufferable little twit. If you continue in this vein I might be forced to change sides and take you to the Dark Lord myself.”

Harry stared at Snape for a moment wondering how on earth it was an insult to be called _Batman_ when Robin was the one wearing the tights and then remembered the numerous comparisons Ron made between Snape and an overgrown bat. He frowned and opened his mouth to explain and then snapped it shut again. It was probably easier to keep quiet.

“I have a tent – in my bag, I mean.” Harry reached over and held up his rucksack and waved it in front of Snape’s face.

“I am over six foot, Potter. By the looks of things more than my feet will be poking out of that tent of yours.”

Harry rolled his eyes and pulled out the compact circular bag with his pop up tent in it and unzipped it to demonstrate, stepping back proudly once it was fully erect. He took out the small hammer and tent pegs and secured the tent at the four corners and on each side before he finally hammered home the last peg at the back of the tent.

Snape stood and stalked around the tent, looking down his nose at it and then unzipped it to peer inside before looking back at Harry. “There is barely enough room in here for a couple of crups, Potter – I hardly think it’s going to fit two grown men, even if one of them is as vertically challenged as yourself.” He drew himself up to his full height again and looked around with a sniff. “I shall sleep outside.”

“Whatever. Suit yourself.” Harry glared at Snape again and then pulled a small radio out of his rucksack, sitting on the dry ground and fiddling with it while Snape watched him curiously.

“Hardly the time for music, Potter.”

“I’m not - oh forget it - you’ll see.” Harry continued to fiddle with the radio. He moved through channels some of which talked about a new world order and frowned at their content and the dead silence and static coming from some of the more popular Muggle stations. He carried on working through, stopping for any sound of a familiar voice. Finally he heard the voice he had been waiting for, trying not to cry with relief, as he sat cross legged and listened. He focused on the voices and ignored Snape who continued to glare at him.

“Listeners, welcome to Potterwatch - we don’t have much time – Royal, it’s over to you.”

“Thank you, River. We don’t know when we will be back but to anyone who is listening – anyone at all – we need you to remain vigilant, go into hiding for now, keep low and stay quiet because even the trees have ears. We will let you know when the Phoenix is ready to rise from the ashes. Stay safe, be prepared and _don’t lose hope_ \- back to you, River.”

“We bring to you the news of the latest deaths. Lost to us in the Battle of Hogwarts, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevy, Lavender Brown, Professor Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks…” Harry listened, his heart in his throat as he looked at Severus, his eyes wide with shock and pain until the list which set out another forty or so names of students from Hogwarts and a couple of the Professors, concluded. “Professor Severus Snape and Harry Potter are currently missing, presumed dead. Royal?”

“We will be holding a vigil for the families of the deceased and those missing in action tomorrow at 12 noon precisely. We will be lighting twelve candles to remember all of those lost to us in battle in a safe location. We ask those attending to wear black out of respect for the dead and for those of you who are unable to attend, please tune in to remember our friends who died fighting for our cause. Shamrock?”

“Thanks, Royal. That’s all we have time for today, but keep listening. Stay safe, be vigilant and keep your ears to the ground.”

“What in the name of Merlin was that?” Snape looked down his nose at Harry as he flicked the radio off.

“Potterwatch – a pirate station Lee, Fred and Shacklebolt started before the war – it looks as though Seamus is part of the team now with Fred…” Harry trailed off, feeling sick, thinking about Ron and George and poor Molly and Arthur before shaking his head and choking back his tears. Now wasn’t the time to mourn, they needed to stay alert and try to prevent any further deaths. His grief could wait. “I wanted to see if they were still out there.” Harry frowned and looked up at Snape, “Did anything they said seem _off_ to you?”

“Perhaps…” Snape sat down next to Harry and picked up the small radio, playing with it as he looked at it with a frown, “If they knew we were alive – knew we would be trying to find out information – they could have been using some sort of code to communicate with us. Is there anything in particular which struck you? It seems you would be better placed to pick up on these matters than I would.”

“There were a couple of things but…” Harry shook his head with a frown and then leaned closer to Snape. “They mentioned the Phoenix rising from the ashes, which I assume means the Order is regrouping. But they also said the trees have ears – like some sort of warning – I suppose it just means his followers are everywhere. Then there was the stuff about the twelve candles, wearing black…” Harry looked at Snape with a shrug, “I’m sorry, that’s as far as I got. Any ideas?”

Snape hummed thoughtfully and traced his finger along his lips, frowning and deep in thought.

“I can only assume they are referring to Twelve Grimmauld Place. It belonged to the Black family after all and they mentioned that the location would be safe, which I assume means the house is secure again after the security was breached.” 

Harry nodded as Snape spoke, thinking that for a miserable arse he was actually quite a useful person to have around during a war and met his eyes when he finished talking.

“We should go to Grimmauld Place at midday tomorrow then, I suppose?”

“How exactly do you propose we get there, Potter?” Snape stared at Harry and smirked as he waited for an answer.

“Hang on, I have my broom.” Harry reached into the rucksack and then pulled it out, setting it down. Both men stared at it for a moment, shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. Snape picked it up between his thumb and forefinger and looked at it before looking back at Harry.

“Wonderful. I imagine this would be extremely useful _if I was a dormouse_.” Snape dangled the broom between them and then gave it back to Harry as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, his lips pursed. “We cannot attend. It’s simply too risky.”

Harry looked forlornly at the tiny broom and grimaced. Without magic he supposed Snape was right there really was no way to attend.

“We’ll put the radio on again tomorrow. Perhaps there will be an update.”

“Perhaps,” Snape looked back at Harry, “Was there anything else you heard that seemed strange?”

“They also said we were missing, presumed dead.” Harry frowned for a moment, debating how much to tell Snape but felt somehow, he should trust him. “I can only assume they think there is a chance we are alive. Ron and Hermione know that Dumbledore told me what to do – to kill him, I mean. They are both still alive and will know how he needs to be killed – they will tell the Order what they can.”

Snape looked at Harry curiously and then inclined his head a little in reluctant agreement, before he started to turn the radio over in his hands again.

“I had a theory of my own, about the Dark Lord – why he came back and how he could be killed.”

“Oh?” Harry feigned ignorance for a moment as he waited to see what Snape was thinking. After a long moment, Snape looked up and met Harry’s eyes.

“Horcruxes. Are you familiar with them?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Snape nodded, as if Harry’s response had told him everything he needed to know. After a long moment of silence, he looked at Harry’s scar and then grimaced, looking back down at his hands. “It is clear to you now, then? The meaning of the prophecy…”

“Neither can live while the other survives? Yeah.” Harry touched his scar again and felt a familiar cold rush through his body, making him shiver. He paused for a moment and then flicked his eyes back up to Snape. “They have all been destroyed. All except for Nagini and…” He trailed off, rubbing his scar again before he looked at his bloodied hand, feeling utterly exhausted.

“I see.” Snape looked somewhat surprised at the news and then watched Harry carefully, his face implacable with the flicker of something behind his eyes which Harry couldn’t decipher.

“We should rest, I suppose.”

Snape hummed in agreement and looked at the small tent with some disdain before piling up some leaves and clearing a spot on the ground to create a rather uncomfortable looking makeshift bed.

“I think this will be more than adequate.” 

Harry looked at the space on the ground doubtfully and wrinkled his nose as he looked at the sky. 

“So you’re really going to sleep outside? It looks like rain.”

“Potter, I survived numerous years as a Death Eater, trying to save your sorry hide. I have suffered through Cruciatus on many occasions not to mention any other form of torture which would tickle the Dark Lord’s fancy when he was in one of his moods. Do you honestly believe I will be broken by a little rain?” Snape snorted softly and shook his head at Harry as if he were a very simple child. 

“No.” Harry looked at Snape with frustration. “I simply thought you might be more comfortable _not_ sleeping in the rain. You know – if there was a choice – which there is.” Harry gave Snape his very best glare as he moved to the tent. He tugged his rucksack through the opening in the awning and pulled out a sleeping bag and a travel pillow, blowing it up and then settling back on his knees to admire his handiwork. After a moment he set up a second spot with a sleeping bag he had been carrying for Ron and another travel pillow in case Severus should change his mind. When he was finished he poked his head out of the tent, watching as Snape tried to arrange himself on some dry leaves. “If you end up with pneumonia I’m not going to be held responsible. Just so you know.”

“I am a Potions expert, twit. I hardly think the common cold is going to beat me.”

Harry watched as Snape finished talking and suddenly began snoring. He glared furiously at Snape, because no one fell asleep that bloody quickly. He could tell from the smug look on Snape’s face and the way he was snoring he wasn’t asleep at all.

“Whatever. It’s actually really comfortable in here. Cosy.” It wasn’t. Harry thought he had actually put the tent up on a small pile of rocks and then placed his sleeping bag over said rocks so they dug into his spine, but there was no way he was telling Snape that. 

Harry poked his head outside of the tent again and glared when Snape continued snoring very loudly and zipped the tent up, shaking it with the force of his actions. “ _Fine_.”

It was a good hour before Harry finally fell asleep and when he did, he was sure he could hear the clap of thunder in the background. He let out a little shiver at the thought of being outside in a thunder storm as he finally let sleep claim him.

OooooOOooooO

“Potter!”

Harry woke to an urgent whisper and saw Snape at the entrance to the tent, his face poked into a small hole he had created.

“Has someone found us?” Harry sat up quickly, readying himself for battle.

“No.” Snape shook his head at Harry, who had to frown at the droplets of water Snape was shaking all over the foot of his sleeping bag.

“Then what?”

“Rain.” Snape looked at Harry and pushed his head a little further into the tent, so Harry could see his neck. On closer inspection there appeared to be a leaf stuck to it. Harry masked a grin and looked at Snape seriously.

“I see. Do you think it means something?”

Harry bit his lip as Snape spluttered and caused more droplets of water to land on Harry’s feet, which were rather cosy in his sleeping bag and he wiggled them a bit at Snape.

“No, I don’t think it means something you silly little twit.”

“Oh. Sometimes it means Dementors are close…” Harry wiggled his toes again and shuffled down into his sleeping bag. “Well then…good night, Snape. Thanks for keeping me informed.” With a grin to himself, Harry began to snore in exactly the same affected way Snape had when he had wanted to let Harry know earlier in the evening that their conversation was over.

“Potter?”

Harry snored a bit more loudly and then bit his bottom lip to hold back a snort of laughter as he heard grumbling and the zip of the tent opening. He listened as Snape took off his wet robes and threw them into a plastic bag and heard him settle down into the sleeping bag Harry had laid out earlier in the evening, with a contented sigh.

“Better?” Harry stopped his snoring long enough to speak and grinned as he wiggled his toes again. Instead of answering, Snape began to snore and Harry laughed, shaking his head and closing his own eyes, falling asleep after a moment, feeling safe.

OooooOOooooO

Harry woke from a hilarious dream and a delicious feeling of toasty warmth. He sighed happily and snuggled into his sleeping bag and whatever was keeping him warm. With a soft sound of happiness he ran his hands over his teddy bear, wondering why it was so…life-like. His hands fell flat palmed onto a warm face with a rather large nose and he patted it, with a frown, trying to remember when on earth someone had settled into bed with him. After a moment he stilled his questing hands with a gulp and let out a yelp as the fleshy bit of his hand around his thumb received a hard bite.

“Bastard!”

“Do stop touching me, Potter. Good lord, had I known you would have been so…cuddly…I would have taken my chances with the elements.”

“Harry cracked an eye open with a frown and saw he was nose to nose with Snape, pressed up against him. With another yelp, he quickly scuttled backwards but was stopped by a large hand which caught him from rolling into the damp side of the tent.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Potter. I’m hardly catching.”

Harry glared at Snape and resisted the urge to burrow into him, “I know that. Merlin.” He glared at Severus a moment longer and somehow couldn’t resist staying as close to the warmth as possible while Snape arched his eyebrow at him, speaking in that smooth, silky tone of his.

“It’s still raining outside.”

“It is?” Harry knew it was of course, because he could hear the rain as it drummed against the canvas. 

“I think we would be better to stay indoors, I only have limited supplies of potions and we will not be able to brew any more. The last thing I need is to have to mop your fevered brow again while you recover from a bout of influenza.”

“Indoors?” Harry looked around the tent with a snort and then sat up, reaching for his rucksack. I suppose it is better than nothing. It’s warm, with all the blankets and stuff, and it’s dry.”

“Indeed.” 

Harry looked up as Snape watched while Harry rooted through the rucksack and grinned when he pulled out two large hooded jumpers. 

“Here, put this on. Your clothes are still damp from _sleeping outside_.” Harry gave a snort at that and rolled his eyes, throwing the larger of the two jumpers to Snape.

“Why doesn’t the sun shine anymore?” Harry poked his head out of the tent and looked up at the pouring grey sky with a frown, startling a little when he felt Snape beside him, their shoulders brushing together.

“I believe it’s called pathetic fallacy, Potter. Besides, I didn’t bring you here to work on our tans.”

Harry snorted and looked at Snape out of the corner of his eye, his face pale and suspecting he had probably never had a tan in his life. He laughed quietly to himself, thinking about Snape in wildly patterned board shorts and sipping on a pina colada and nudged him with his shoulder.

“Put your jumper on, then. It’s nice and warm, I promise.”

With a huff, Snape pulled the jumper over his head, scowling at the sleeves which ended a little above his own wrists and trying to yank them down. “I look completely ridiculous.”

“No, it suits you.” Harry bit his bottom lip and schooled his face into what he hoped was a serious, convincing sort of look. “Honestly.” He zipped the tent back up to stop any water getting in after dropping the plastic bag with Snape’s damp robes out into the small porch area. 

“You know, I don’t think it’s just pathetic whatever you called it – the rain, I mean – I think it’s Dementors. They’re everywhere.” Harry shivered at the chill on the air and hoped that wherever they were, they were not too close to Harry and Snape.

“Perhaps. The weather does tend to turn when the Dark Lord’s power increases.” 

“Why did you join him?” Harry looked at Snape curiously and wondered if Snape would answer him.

“Because I was young and foolish - I had few friends and the ones I did have, were heavily involved in the Dark Lord’s inner circle.” Snape looked at his forearm and frowned.

“Oh, I see.” Harry thought about what he had seen in Snape’s memories, a solitary young boy who was bullied and ridiculed and supposed he understood. “So what made you change sides, in the end?"

“I was close…with your mother. It made me view things rather differently when she was killed.”

Harry noticed that Snape didn’t mention anything about his father being killed but decided to let that slide for the moment, intrigued by his revelation. “You were?” Harry looked up at Snape, aware his mouth had fallen open a little and snapping it shut. “Why are you always such a miserable git to me, then?”

“I hardly have a choice, Potter. If the Dark Lord had wind of any favouritism or even civility between the two of us, it may have compromised my position as one of his trusted advisors, consequently putting you in more danger in the process.”

Harry nodded and looked down at his hands for a moment.

“Thank you – for keeping me safe.”

“Well you haven’t exactly made my job easy, you reckless little brat.” 

Harry looked up at Snape with a glare until he saw a small smile stretch over his lips. He began to laugh and soon Snape joined him. Harry looked at Snape as he laughed, quite sure he was seeing a rare moment and enjoying the way Snape’s features changed when they weren’t pinched into a scowl, his eyes flickering with mirth. His laugh had a rich, mellow tone which made Harry feel inexplicably warm.

“We should see if there is any news.” Harry gestured to the radio when they both finished laughing and Snape inclined his head in agreements.

“Very well.”

Harry fiddled with the small radio and then sat back on his heels with satisfaction when the heard familiar voices. They set the radio on the floor of the tent between them, and both fixed their eyes on it. Harry flicked his gaze up momentarily to Snape, taking in the pinched expression and his lips pursed as he listened. Harry wondered why he had never noticed how expressive Snape’s eyes were, how lean he was under his robes and how _strong_ he was to have survived as he had as a spy for so many years. 

Snape looked up at Harry and arched an eyebrow and Harry felt his face heat, having been caught out staring. With a cough he turned back to the radio, to listen to what the voices had to say, the broadcast starting as the first had begun, the voices crackling in the small tent.

When the broadcast ended, Harry looked up again, his cheeks finally feeling as if they had returned to normal. He noticed Snape was glaring at the radio before he looked at Harry with an expression Harry couldn’t quite decipher.

“We’re not ready… _you’re_ not ready…”

“I am ready,” Harry glared at Snape for a moment and then looked at him curiously, “Ready for what?”

“Didn’t you hear them?” Snape gestured at the small radio with a scowl, “Tomorrow. They are going back into battle.”

“When did they say _that_?”

Snape looked at Harry with disdain and repeated the words very carefully back at him as if he were a simpleton, “Fawkes is flying again? All the talk of tomorrow and the references to Hogwarts – it is quite clear they are planning to go back there tomorrow night and confront the Dark Lord once again.”

“Oh yeah, quite clear,” Harry rolled his eyes and then felt his heart beat quicken. “Tomorrow, then.”

Snape looked at Harry in the same way he had looked at him when Harry had woken up after having been Apparated away from the Battle. The sort of look Snape had been giving Harry that morning when they woke up together and the sort of look Snape had been throwing him throughout the day as they had talked under the small canvas together.

“Potter…”

“What?” Harry glared at Snape again and hoped he wasn’t going to start saying something else about Harry which implied he wouldn’t be able to cope with facing the Dark Lord, because he didn’t think he could face that right now. Instead Snape didn’t appear to want to say anything as he moved closer to Harry, their faces pressed almost together before Harry felt dry, insistent lips on his own.

Harry dimly wondered why he was kissing back. He could feel the hard lines of Snape’s body against his own and was mortified to hear what sounded like a whimper coming from his lips.

“What...?” 

The word spoken into the kiss gave Snape cause to still and he moved back, looking at Harry and putting a little distance between them.

“Forgive me - that was foolish.”

“No, I don’t mind I mean…” Harry looked at Snape, sitting in the cold light from outside the canvas casting an odd sort of colour on his face and watched as he glared at his hands. He couldn’t deny his body’s own response to the kiss and wondered if he was going mad as he took in the lean outline of Snape’s body and his face, the dark eyes flickering with something Harry couldn’t read. He remembered waking up to Snape brushing his hair from his forehead and applying potions with a gentle touch and then the warmth of his body next to Harry in the morning and felt a rush of heat. Nervously he scooted over until their breath warmed one another’s faces and then pressed their lips together again, wanting to feel Snape with a sudden urgency.

“Harry…”

He moaned into the kiss as Snape kissed back and then he was being pressed back onto his sleeping back, the slippery material sliding under his back as Snape’s body covered his own and he was _really_ being kissed. It was the sort of kiss that held a promise of a future Harry knew he didn’t have.

“Can you…please?” Harry thrust up into Snape, feeling his cock fill, the weight of Snape over him making his body react with a desperate sort of need.

“You want…?” Snape pulled back then, his breathing ragged and Harry could feel from the hard pressure against his thigh that he wasn’t the only one who had been affected by their kissing and position.

Harry felt the heat flushing in his cheeks and was very aware of the fact he had just asked Snape for _sex_. He looked up at Snape and saw his face, looking down at Harry almost curiously, his gaze even darker than usual.

“I don’t want to die…without knowing what it feels like.” Harry looked up at Snape with what he hoped was a pleading expression and was surprised when Snape let out a groan and buried his head in Harry’s neck.

“Be sure…be _sure_ …”

“Yes…I’m sure…” Harry paused for a moment and then whispered Snape’s name, the syllables feeling strange on his tongue. “Severus…”

“Harry…” 

Then Harry was being kissed again and this time the kiss was harder and more demanding and Harry was pressed down again, his body and his lips responding with an eagerness which surprised him. 

He felt Severus moving his hands over his body, strong and sure and firm and arched into the touch. Harry heard the noises he was making almost as if they came from someone else, as he felt slick hands running down his arse and skin touching skin. He looked into Severus’ eyes as he felt the first touch _there_ and then, shortly after, a dull ache of pain and then sparks of pleasure, as they moved together in the small tent, the only sounds their breathing and the rain hard against the canvas.

Afterwards, Harry’s eyes flickered open thinking he must have blacked out for a moment with the force of his orgasm, as he shuddered and spilled all over Severus’ hand, clenching down hard around him.

“Are you quite alright?”

Harry heard the note of amusement in Severus’ voice and shivered as Severus ran his fingers down his spine, the scent of arousal and sweat heavy in the small tent. Harry moved nearer to Severus feeling his body already taking interest in the light touch with a groan.

“Merlin…that was…” 

“Was it what you expected?” Severus spoke softly now and Harry recognised the smooth, low tones from the tone used when Severus pressed his lips to Harry’s ear and moved inside him.

“It hurt, but only for a short while…it was good.” 

“Good?” Severus pressed his lips to Harry’s own and Harry delighted to feel the smile there.

“Okay, bloody brilliant.”

“Ah. Well that’s much better.” Severus pulled back for a moment and then arched an eyebrow at Harry. He paused and then cupped Harry’s cheek with his hand. “I am not a demonstrative man, Harry. Not one for romance and dancing in the moonlight.”

Harry laughed, but it sounded hollow in the small space and the darkness.

“I don’t see much romance in my future, Severus. You are quite safe.”

Severus fisted his hand into Harry’s hair and kissed him fiercely, “Don’t. Don’t talk like that.”

“Then stop me from talking at all.” Harry wasn’t sure when he had become quite so bold and felt a flush heat his cheeks at the words which came from his mouth.

Severus looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped after a moment, his eyes fixed on Harry.

“Very well…You may wish to try it from the other perspective too – just to see how that feels.”

“Wait…you’d let me do that?”

“Certainly – I imagine I would rather enjoy it.” Severus smirked at Harry and squeezed his arse lightly.

“Merlin. Tonight?”

“I rather hoped so, yes.”

Harry licked his lips and then moved in to kiss Severus.

“I hope tomorrow never comes.”

OooooOOooooO

_I open at the close_

It was dark outside and Severus was sleeping soundly as Harry looked at the battered snitch in his hands and moved quietly to unzip the tent, checking Severus was still asleep before slipping outside.

He put the snitch to his lips and felt the wings flutter as the snitch opened to reveal a small, smooth, stone. He reached for it and turned it between his fingers carefully until four figures appeared before him. Harry sat back on his heels as his breath caught and he saw Sirius and Remus in their school uniforms moving towards him, his parents behind them looking a little older, walking with their hands twined together.

“Please tell me you didn’t, Harry?”

Harry looked up into Sirius’ eyes and noticed he was looking at Harry’s neck with a frown. Feeling the heat rise to his cheeks, Harry raised his hand to feel the spot which Severus had nipped at and sucked on when he was fucking Harry and he dropped his hand again with an apologetic shrug.

“He’s brave and he looks after me. I think I’m in love with him.” 

Harry wasn’t sure where that had come from but he remembered Severus moving over him as the rain hit the canvas of the small tent and their eyes connected. He remembered the gentle touch over his forehead and the sound of a laugh he had never heard from Severus before. He thought of his furious anger and the dreams he had during school which he tried desperately to ignore and wondered if maybe he hadn’t been a little bit in love with Severus for a long time.

Harry heard a strangled sound coming from Sirius and saw Remus nudge him sharply in the side.

“He’s a good man, although a little old for you. Ignore Sirius, how are you, Harry?” Remus smiled softly at him while Sirius rubbed his side and glared at Remus and then grinned back at Harry.

“Sorry, kid. Moony’s right, we’re not here to talk about your love life. How are you?”

“Scared.”

“We’ll be with you, Harry – we all will. You won’t be doing this alone.” 

It was his mother speaking this time and Harry looked up at her. He reached his hand out to her so their fingers touched, but all he felt was cold.

“Does it hurt?”

“Dying? No, it’s quicker and easier than falling asleep.” Sirius reached out to Harry and brushed his hair back from his face. “We’ll be here – waiting for you.”

“We’ll all be here. We couldn’t be more proud.” Harry’s father looked at him for a long moment and then the shadows of the past were flickering and disappearing into the night. Harry reached out to grip Remus’ hand, to touch his mother one last time, but then there was only silence.

After a long moment he unzipped the tent and got back in and burrowed into Severus’ arms. It was a long time afterwards that he finally fell into a fitful, restless sleep, trying to hold back tomorrow.

OooooOOooooO

Tomorrow did come, eventually, with lashings of rain and a furious clap of thunder rousing Severus and Harry from sleep and pulling them from the warmth of an embrace they had settled into during the night.

There wasn’t much time for talking that morning. It seemed rather trite to say goodbye and so they packed in silence, Severus throwing Harry’s rucksack over his shoulder.

“I’m scared.”

“I know.” Severus’ voice was gruff, a million miles from his usual smooth tones and he looked pale and drawn as he pulled Harry into his arms and held him so tightly Harry thought his ribs might break from it. “ _Harry_ …”

“Take me to him.”

“Yes.”

Severus put on the invisibility cloak and wrapped it around them both, Apparating them close to Hogwart’s gates. In silence, Harry took Severus’ hand in his own and they walked together their footsteps crunching on the dry leaves and twigs. Eventually they reached their destination and Harry squeezed Severus’ hand for the final time. 

He stepped away and walked into the clearing, his scar burning as he moved and Voldemort turned to face him one last time.

“Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived, come to die.” Harry could see a flicker behind Voldemort that he knew was Severus in the invisibility cloak. Even though he couldn’t see them, he met his eyes, feeling the press of Severus in his mind and taking a strange sort of comfort in it now, amazed at how intrusive he used to find Legilimency. 

Harry didn’t move as Voldemort raised his wand, the burn in his scar intensifying as Voldemort moved closer. He saw Severus pull off the cloak and raise his wand as their eyes connected.

“ _Avada Kedavra!_ ”

The same spell shouted simultaneously, the voice of the man Harry loved clashing through the air with the voice of the man he hated.

Sirius was right, Harry thought as the spell hit him square in the chest. Dying _was_ quicker and easier than falling asleep.

The green eyes held the black then Harry Potter moved no more.

OooooOOooooO

Harry opened his eyes slowly and looked around him. The place was familiar to him, but emptier than usual, the platform at Kings Cross station holding only the Hogwarts Express and a strange sort of mist which moved around Harry.

Tentatively he walked to the Hogwarts Express and stood at the open door to one of the carriages. Inside he saw Sirius, laughing and playing exploding snap with Remus. 

“Harry.” Sirius waved at him and then winked at Remus, as he beckoned for Harry to join them. With his heart leaping into his throat, Harry took the first step onto the train, before a strong arm grabbed him and hauled him back, slamming him up against the train.

“No. You don’t get on that train, Potter. Don’t you _dare_.”

“W-what?” Harry looked up into Severus’ face, his eyes dark with fury as he slammed Harry against the walls of the train again. With a glare, trying to ignore their proximity and the things it was doing to his body, Harry shook Severus’ hand off his arm, “What the _hell_?”

“It’s not your time. Not for a long while, if I have anything to say about it. Don’t…don’t get on the train.”

Harry looked up at Severus, his eyes dark and flashing, furious, yes, but something else. With another glare at Severus he righted himself and crossed his arms, meeting his stare head on.

“And why not? Sirius seems happy to see me – Remus, too. Why shouldn’t I go?”

“Because you’re needed you silly little twit – because there are people alive still and they need you.”

“Like who?” Harry tried to stop a smile from breaking across his face and looked down at his arm, picking invisible lint off it. “Ron and Hermione will be married soon – Ginny has Blaise from the looks of things. My family is in there.” He gestured back to the train and then looked up at Severus, “Isn’t it?”

“You insufferable, infuriating, selfish, idiotic….” Severus let out a strangled sort of cry and then fisting his hand into Harry’s jumper, hauling him onto his tip toes until they were nose to nose, “What of me?”

“You?” Harry schooled his face into what he hoped was a very surprised expression. “But you are not a man for – how did you put in – romance and dancing under the moon?”

Harry startled as he felt his lips grabbed in Severus’ lips in a furious, heated kiss and melted against him, his arms reaching to wrap around his neck.

“Don’t you dare – don’t you _dare_ leave me, you little idiot.”

“Why?”

“Because _I love you_ ” Severus nearly yelled the words at Harry, releasing him after a long moment and taking a step back as if to try to compose himself. Harry took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his ears as he stepped closer to Severus, taking in the face twisted into an angry grimace, his hands wringing at the front of his body and his robes, tattered and torn and covered in blood. Harry’s blood.

“You do?” Harry watched Severus and saw the frustration in his face, and felt his aching loneliness and desperation coursing through his own body, nearly crying with the force of it.

“Well I’m not telling you again.” Severus moved back again, another step away from Harry and Harry felt his own legs move towards Severus, as he gripped onto his hand, cool and large, sure and strong in his own smaller hand.

“I will come back - if you tell me again - every day for the rest of my life.”

Severus growled at him, half-heartedly trying to yank his hand away from Harry’s own, but Harry’s grip was firm, “You don’t wish to bind yourself to a man like me – unhand me.”

“Nope – I don’t think I will.”

“Potter…”

“Harry, Severus.”

“Do not…do not use your life to toy with me.” 

Harry nodded at that and moved even closer to Severus. He used his free hand to cup Severus’ cheek, feeling his skin smooth and cool beneath his palm. He could smell cinnamon and sandalwood and _Severus_ and felt dizzy with the way the scent and the heat from Severus’ body made him feel.

“I am not trying to toy with you. I am trying to get you to be honest with me – for once. I don’t want to go back there and have you disappear on me, thinking you are doing the right thing, out of some foolish notion of letting me live my life without you.” Harry took a deep breath and decided it really was time to lay his cards out. “You see, there is no life for me without you, Severus - not anymore – not after everything.”

Severus leaned into the hand on his cheek and nodded at Harry, just once, before brushing their lips together softly, as he wrapped his arms around Harry and spoke into his ear, the touch making Harry shiver.

“Then come home. Come home with me.”

“Yes.”

Harry leaned against Severus and realised he felt exhausted, after everything. He felt his feet falter a little as they walked from the train and Severus kept him upright.

“Sirius…Remus…”

“Will wait for you – however long it takes.”

Harry took Severus’ arm and walked with him, as the sun set and the train whistled behind them, pulling away from the platform before everything went black.

OooooOOooooO

_One month later_

“Where on _earth_ are we?”

Harry grinned at Severus and wrapped his arms around his waist, standing on the tips of his toes to brush their lips together for a moment.

“I wanted to bring you somewhere where the sun shines, maybe…work on our tans? Now we don’t have a Dark Lord to kill.”

“Indeed. Where _exactly_ is this place?” Severus was looking around their beach hut with a sniff, peering out of the window and then moving closer to see the turquoise infinity pool and the white sand and sea stretching out around them. 

“We’re in the Maldives. I wanted you to feel the sand beneath your feet, swim in the sea and lie in the sun for a bit.” Harry moved to stand behind Severus and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder and looking out at the sea.

“Why?” 

“I don’t know. Because we can – now we have all of the time in the world and I’m not afraid of tomorrow. Because it’s private and as far away from the press as can be and because I want to spend some time with you, in the sun because I feel happy and it seems like we should be in the sunshine because of that – pathetic fallacy or something, a wise man once told me.”

“Indeed.”

Severus turned in the circle of Harry’s arms and kissed him soundly, until Harry felt his knees buckle a little, wondering how on earth Severus had the capacity to do this to him all of the damn time.

“We need to sit somewhere.”

“Good grief, Potter – you’re not going to faint again, are you?”

Harry tried to frown at Severus but couldn’t quite manage it, “I didn’t faint. It was the intensity of the moment – the circumstances.”

“Oh yes, the circumstances,” Severus smirked down at Harry and he stood on his tiptoes to kiss the smirk away, smiling against Severus’ lips.

“You’re happy? Even if I make you wear tiny bathing trunks and make you drink cocktails made with chocolate and pineapples?”

Severus kissed Harry’s hair and Harry melted against his chest as he felt strong arms wrap around him.

“Yes, brat. Even then.”

_~Fin~_


End file.
